Formula 1 Belgian GP
Marko: Perez still Red Bull's "best solution" given the alternatives
Marko refutes pressure from Liberty Media to retain Perez until the Mexico Grand Prix
Filip Cleeren
Edited: Aug 7, 2024, 10:37 AM
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Helmut Marko has insisted Sergio Perez is still the best option to finish the Formula 1 season alongside Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen.
Perez's slump in performance in the second quarter of the campaign has allowed McLaren to narrow the gap to Red Bull in the constructors' standings to 42 points by the summer break.
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That made Red Bull reconsider whether it should replace the Mexican with one of its other drivers - Daniel Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda or Liam Lawson - despite Perez having recently signed a two-year contract extension.
But after considering their options, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner and team advisor Marko decided to keep backing Perez, with RB's line-up of Ricciardo and Tsunoda also remaining unchanged.
In his column on Red Bull-owned publication Speedweek, Marko explained that Perez was "still our best solution" given the alternatives that were available, saying the 34-year-old just has to find more consistency after showing flashes of his old self in Belgian Grand Prix qualifying.
"Sergio Perez will also be in the Red Bull Racing car after the summer break because we now have races on the tracks where he was good last year and we are banking on stability," Marko wrote.
"He has repeatedly shown good performances in between, and he was also very fast in third place on Saturday at the last race weekend in Spa.
Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB20
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
"Perez doesn't have to become faster, but more consistent and, given the alternatives, he is still our best solution."
Marko refuted speculation that F1 owner Liberty Media had a hand in its driver choice.
"Reports that his continued involvement is due to Liberty Media's wish for him to drive in Mexico are not true," he said. "They certainly want him to contest his home race, but our choice of driver is not based on Liberty's intentions."
Red Bull will also have to decide on what to do with reserve driver Liam Lawson, who is free to find a seat elsewhere if Red Bull can't give him an F1 drive in 2025. But Marko ruled out Lawson being loaned out to rival teams to keep him within the ranks.
"We will announce what will happen with Liam Lawson in September," the Austrian explained. "The fact that he was allowed to gain further Formula 1 kilometres of experience in Imola had been planned for some time. Even if the competition would like to use him on loan, he is not available for that.
"Our Formula 2 driver Isack Hadjar took his fourth victory in the top formula racing class at Spa. He clearly has the potential for Formula 1.
"We'll see how everything develops, but he will certainly take on a role of some kind. It could be that, like Lawson, he will spend a year as a test and simulator driver."
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